Post by gilius on Feb 28, 2013 15:09:01 GMT -9

During this month I made a miniature as a prize for the two year anniversary of my blog. It was specified by the winner of the giveaway but it is now available to anyone interested. (The winner, however, also received the source files to the mini.)

Here is the PDF version. On my blog you can also download a PNG version.

Post by gilius on Feb 28, 2013 15:26:57 GMT -9

I would also like to discuss my "process" with anyone interested. It is obviously based in a lot of topics I have read in this forum, with a tweak or two. For this miniature I performed the following steps:

1) draw the front of the figure in a full A4 sheet with a mechanical pencil.2) ink the figure with what is available. Usually a 0.4mm black ink pen but in this case a regular black ballpen.3) draw the back of the figure by laying another sheet on top of the first one. I use cheap, thin paper that does not even require a light table 4) ink the figure back.5) scan both sheets at 300dpi and import them as layers in Gimp.6) take care of any misalignments between the layers (eventually re-scan.)7) convert the image to pure black and white with a simple threshold operation and clear any specks.8) scale the images down to around 75% and open them in Inkscape.9) trace the bitmaps with the edge detection operator. This, combined with the scale reduction, makes the contour lines thicker and more uniform.10) export the resulting images and open them again in Gimp.11) add flat colors in one layer for the front and another for the back.12) add shading in one layer for the front and another for the back, usually set to multiply.-- at this point I have the final hi-res image, which is saved for future editing.13) scale the image down to the final size -- in this case, 25mm from feet to eye level.14) merge the flat colors and shading layers, adjust contrast and brightness as needed.15) merge the contour layers with the color layers.16) select the transparent background, invert and trace the selection to add black borders (2mm for the front, 3mm for the back.)17) cut the figure at feet level to allow adding tabs.18) export front and back to inkscape, add tabs and lay them out using the alignment tools.-- export the result as PNG or PDF.

Post by kiladecus on Mar 6, 2013 2:33:51 GMT -9

As far as the figure goes, you have supplied a format to please everyone (except for people that want to conserve ink).

As for the technique you use, everyone does things differently, and it is exciting to see how other people do it.

You and I share about the first three steps, and then after that, we are completely different... One of us delivers a professional product with things like borders set at 2mm for the front, and 3mm for the back.... and I just draw what "feels right to me."

Once again, I love you work, and enjoy your sharing it with us. Thanks again.

Post by kiladecus on Mar 6, 2013 2:49:33 GMT -9

Here's MY technique (if any one cares):

1) Take a piece of white paper and fold about an inch to and inch and a half (25-38mm) of the bottom of the page, making sure that the edges are lined up perfectly, and crease it (making a horizontal line that is straight).

2) Draw a figure in pencil.

3) Ink it (using various Sharpie brand permanent markers).

4) Scan it.

5) Use Gimp to make it "true black" by adjusting the contrast and color.

6) Post it here and on Facebook and wait for feedback (when I post something, I REALLY do want feedback).

7) Adjust the errors

8) Re-scan it

9) Print it out as "true black"

10) Trace the image using my light desk

11) Ink the back (making sure to allow for sweeping lines, allowing a border that is WAY too thick - intentionally. One thing that I have picked up on is that extremely thick borders (like Darkmook's) still look great, and they are SO easy to cut out).

12) Once I have the front and back printed, I start coloring with my markers. The images are roughly 10 inches (25cm), so coloring requires STRONG markers (if you run out of ink half-way through, it looks awful, even if the color starts to fade). Coloring is my favorite step. You can actually see the image come to life, and the highlight and shadow make it seem 3D (even more than my cell shading).

13) I scan the color images

14) I go back into Gimp and adjust the colors (and correct the black border using the OldSchoolDM suggestion of the wand and fill... which I have never had to do until I got this Win 8 computer. I think the issues were always there, but never showed up until the high quality of this machine. It is kind of like seeing Miley Cyrus for the first time in High-Def).

15) Once I have the colors corrected, it is off to Excel to lay them out.

16) Throw the PDF on the "shelf" and that is it. ;D

Thanks for your attention. I now return you to the thread already in progress.

Post by gilius on Mar 6, 2013 16:33:38 GMT -9

Hey Kiladecus (or Dave... sorry, I got used to the nickname) thanks for the feedback and info on your workflow. I have to agree with your point about thicker borders. They do make cutting easier and I should also think about this especially when printing at 15mm scale. Also, I am a big fan of your coloring.

Post by kiladecus on Mar 8, 2013 9:28:09 GMT -9

It is always awesome to hear that someone appreciates something you do.

Ironically, when I was going to start GMG, I went to a couple people to do my layout for me, because I couldn't. I ended up doing it myself (except for the first Warmancers set).

I used to ask people to do coloring for me, because I didn't know how to color using the computer. I had a couple people suggest I do what I knew, and that worked. I did some coloring for the Hordes with Adam Souza's work, and that really made a difference.

So, for what it's worth, thank you very much!

I am a HUGE fan of your designs and models. You do an AMAZING job.

Speaking of which, I just fulfilled my obligations on some sets I did, so I am now free to color that dropship (finally)!! ;D

Shoutbox

cowboyleland: Now I have seen it. It doesn't advance our hobby, but anyone with half a brain who wanted 2nd rate figures could easily figure this out for themselves so I guess he isn't doing any harm.Mar 19, 2019 17:53:59 GMT -9

berneart76: well, this is fun, (not) transferring all my papercrafting sets into the cloud. The stuff I got from DriveTrhruRPG was simple with their library desktop app,but my other stuff, sometimes with multiple duplicate copies is entertaining.Mar 1, 2019 15:44:32 GMT -9

berneart76: Vermin King I usually use a mix of drybrush/watercolor/photocopy and occasionally posterizing at different levels of opacity.Feb 26, 2019 20:46:54 GMT -9

berneart76: Vermin King, that's similar to the enhancing that I do on my texturing. I've found that sometimes I need to scale up or scale down the image (usually by 50 or 25 percent down or 200 or 300 percent up) to make get the enhancements to look "right"Feb 26, 2019 20:44:53 GMT -9

Vermin King: On the zebras, I did multiple enhancements and cartoon filters and used them at 100%, and they still didn't look that different than the photosFeb 26, 2019 12:27:26 GMT -9

Vermin King: When I make a figure or terrain piece based on a photo, I clean it up and align things to look 'right', then I create another layer and do enhancing and cartoonizing on it. I then adjust opacity over the photo image until it looks good. On the zebras, Feb 26, 2019 12:26:35 GMT -9

Vermin King: berneart76, do you mean giving them green or purple manes and tails? and a few piercings? maybe a cig hanging out of their mouths?Feb 26, 2019 12:24:18 GMT -9

Vermin King: And due to the snow, I'm off tonight. I am going to miss the cash on the paycheck, but I'm glad they want their employees to be safeFeb 15, 2019 10:52:24 GMT -9

ignatious: Actually I was referring to the two previous posts. I was trying to be subtle in order to sublimate the crassness. Read them again, but in Mel Brooks voice while he is winking, and nudging the person to his right.Feb 9, 2019 13:38:11 GMT -9

cowboyleland: We hadn't had snow for a few days. Last night the plow came down my street and did nothing but fill every ones driveways back in. Just for practice, I guess.Feb 8, 2019 7:48:16 GMT -9

Vermin King: In KC we had an ice storm (with thunder sleet) the other night. Left things drivable, but last night the plow came down my street. They took all the rough edges off. Might as well have ran a Zamboni...Feb 8, 2019 6:42:32 GMT -9